I doubt anyone reading this who cares about my results in the $30,000 Bounty Tournament that took place this past weekend in Oklahoma doesn't yet know what happened, but I will inform you anyway.
There were a total of 77 participants and the play was somewhat decent. A lot of players knew each other and seemed to have played together before. Besides James I didn't really recognize anybody. There was one player who I recognized his screen name from the Weston Poker forum.
The top 12 spots were paid with first place taking home $6,000. Ninth through twelfth place received $700 each. With 13 players left I was my table's chip leader and probably second in chips overall. My situation in the tournament was looking good and James was already making phone calls.
Well, no-limit can be a brutal game, as no more than 10 minutes went by and I went from chip leader to out in thirteenth place. That is right. Out on the bubble.
The hand that crippled me was when I flopped a set of sevens and a guy rivered a flush on me. It was a brutal beat that left me with $1,900 while the blinds were $800-1,600 with a $100 ante. I was gone two hands later with nothing to show for my day except memories of playing aces four times and winning with them every single time.
It was a good tournament that I will play in again if given the opportunity. Things got pretty hectic for about two rounds or so when nobody was getting knocked out and the blinds were starting to rise. If you had told me I was going to go out on the bubble I would have told you to bite your tongue, but come to find out that is how it happened.
Your's truly,
Matt "Bubble Boy" Cook
Monday, December 11, 2006
Friday, December 08, 2006
Due North
For those who haven't yet heard, James and I are taking the skills we have been honing for the last three years with the extra-long tournament and putting it to good use Sunday. A medium size tournament is taking place about three hours north in Oklahoma, about 40 miles south of Oklahoma City. It is a spectacular structure for a $365 tournament and approximately 100 people will be playing. I haven't really thought about the actual tournament much since deciding to play, but now I am starting to think about the drive, the tournament, the possibility of winning $9,000, the possibility of being bounced out really early and having to lower my head in poker shame. It's getting to me.
I will be walking out the door as the lights go down on our skit Sunday at church and jumping in the car to hit the road. And yes, I know how hypocritical it sounds to say I am leaving church to go play poker. Wish me luck and hopefully I will have a happy story for everyone on Monday.
I will be walking out the door as the lights go down on our skit Sunday at church and jumping in the car to hit the road. And yes, I know how hypocritical it sounds to say I am leaving church to go play poker. Wish me luck and hopefully I will have a happy story for everyone on Monday.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Do you believe in Romo-mentum?
It is hard to deny that Tony Romo has not been a big factor in turning around this Dallas team. Before he took the field we were grumbling about how poor of a team we had and Bledsoe was killing us with his refusal to leave the pocket. Of course, a weak offensive line wasn't helping him very much either, but Romo sometimes has to deal with the same pressure Bledsoe did and he is able to scramble away and get a throw off. Too bad if the throw is to T.O. Owens there is a better than good chance he is going to drop the thing.
The Cowboys had a big day yesterday against the New York Football Giants and I am glad to see that our kicking game has given us some hope. That first wide right miss by Gramatica harkened back to the days of Vanderjagt - you know, a whole week ago.
Since the Cowboys had a good week, I of course had to have a bad week in the realm of fantasy football. A dismal failure on my selection process led to a 35-point finish, which my optimal lineup would have fetched 117 points. Quite a difference. I am not going to say that I am completely out of the playoffs yet, but its not too far fetched of an idea if I can't turn things around next week.
The Cowboys had a big day yesterday against the New York Football Giants and I am glad to see that our kicking game has given us some hope. That first wide right miss by Gramatica harkened back to the days of Vanderjagt - you know, a whole week ago.
Since the Cowboys had a good week, I of course had to have a bad week in the realm of fantasy football. A dismal failure on my selection process led to a 35-point finish, which my optimal lineup would have fetched 117 points. Quite a difference. I am not going to say that I am completely out of the playoffs yet, but its not too far fetched of an idea if I can't turn things around next week.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Silver Lining
Since American audiences are letting me down by letting those pesky penguins dance all over the box office for the last two weeks I have been looking for some kind of upside to the entire ordeal, and I think I found it.
Besides the United States, "Casino Royale" has been the number one movie in every International market since its release. And if that isn't enough, this last weekend in the UK, which was the second weekend of its release, Bond brought in more money than the other nine movies in the top ten ... combined. That relieves some of the stress of animated penguins making more money than a cold-blooded assassin working for her Majesty's government.
Besides the United States, "Casino Royale" has been the number one movie in every International market since its release. And if that isn't enough, this last weekend in the UK, which was the second weekend of its release, Bond brought in more money than the other nine movies in the top ten ... combined. That relieves some of the stress of animated penguins making more money than a cold-blooded assassin working for her Majesty's government.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Casino Royale: An All-Time High
After the first viewing of “Casino Royale” my initial reaction was very clear: not only is it one of the best movies of the series, but also Daniel Craig steps into the role with ease and confidence.
I wasn’t sure how I would react to Bond’s first “00” mission, considering my nervousness was outweighing my anticipation. Instead of giving a broad overview of the film and my opinion of it I have decided to review elements of the film that make Bond movies what they are and explain how the producers either stuck to the formula or altered it in order to keep the franchise fresh.
Bond:
I have no problem admitting my reluctance with the choice of Daniel Craig as the new James Bond. The photograph almost every media publication used to announce his unveiling exhibited an almost unknown actor (which I liked) with a tired, worn face who looked uncomfortable in his suit (which I didn’t like). However, things have changed a bit since then. Craig put on 20 pounds of muscle for the role and his scenes in a bathing suit proves it. Besides having the body of a healthy, well-built spy, Craig spent countless hours rehearsing his fight scenes in order for it to look authentic, which it does.
Besides the look, Craig puts forth all of his acting efforts to show a different side of the secret agent we know. Craig was lucky enough to be given the chance to let audiences find out how Bond becomes the tough, womanizing, cold man he is in every other movie. But it isn’t all brooding and fight scenes for Craig. He is allowed to pull out a few zingers when it is necessary, but also when it is inappropriate. Sadly Craig’s timing isn’t as good as Pierce Brosnan’s or Connery’s.
Girls:
The two main Bond girls in “Casino Royale” are Caterina Murino and Eva Green. Murino is the norm when it comes to a Bond movie. She looks great in anything (or nothing) and makes a grand entrance, but ultimately is a passing fancy. Green is quite different though. Green was cast not to just turn heads while in an evening gown, but to also bring characterization to the film. Her relationship with Bond grows and drives the movie while action takes a back seat to gambling. One specific scene that exhibits Green’s talent best is in a shower scene (not that kind of talent pervert) with Bond that could easily have come off as cheesy, or even worse laughable.
Villain:
Mads Mikkelsen is terrorist financier Le Chiffre and does a first-rate job of playing the villain. He isn’t one of those evil megalomaniac types who are trying to take over the world or steal some nuclear weapons in order to hold the world for ransom. He simply wants money. The producers gave Le Chiffre a physical deformity that many Bond villains receive in order to make them memorable, but Mikkelsen doesn’t really need it. He doesn’t eat up the scenery around him and plays it low key when its necessary.
Allies:
The choice of leaving Judi Dench in the role of M completely screws up the timeline of the film series, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t welcomed. Her portrayal of Bond’s boss is one of respect and care for her employee but she doesn’t put up with his childish antics and arrogant attitude.
Moneypenny and Q are both absent from this film, but a reference to Moneypenny is made that will either bother or amuse the viewer.
Cars:
Bond cars have always been admired. Sometimes they even overshadow Bond himself. The producers were smart enough to shake things up with this movie’s idea to return to Bond’s roots, but they weren’t so dumb as to get rid of the classic Bond vehicle we all love. Craig drives the tasteful, refined Aston Martin DB5, which was featured for the first time in “Goldfinger” and has become known as the epitome of the Bond car. With the updating of the story, we are also given an update of the Aston Martin. Despite not having any true gadgets installed, the Aston Martin DBS becomes the newest Bond car. It is a machine that exhibits modern elegance along with the classic style the DB5 has.
Gadgets:
Besides a defibrillator and the use of computers, “Casino Royale” is practically void of all gadgetry. The producers want to get back to the basics and that meant ignoring laser watches, disguised suitcases and toothpaste plastic explosives.
Pre-title Sequence:
Since the beginning of “From Russia With Love” where we see Bond stalked in a lavish garden by an assassin for SPECTRE, the pre-title sequence has always been a highly awaited piece of the Bond formula. It usually unveils a small piece of the plot with Bond in the midst of danger and astonishing stunts. Like much of the movie itself, “Casino Royale” is completely different.
The first difference of this pre-title sequence is it’s shot in black and white. The second is it has everything to do with the storyline while at the same time it has nothing to do with the plot of the movie. It is rather low-key with crucial dialogue about Bond and his “00” status but has intense fight segments flashed before us. It is a great combination of plot and combat, however, the dialogue can be a bit confusing for anyone not familiar with the world of James Bond.
The one big upset for the ultimate fan during the pre-title sequence is the positioning of when the gun barrel shot takes place. This has always been the first thing the audience member sees is a small white dot moving across the screen and then opening up to show Bond in a suit or tuxedo. Bond walks back across and then flings himself around to shoot the sniper that has him in his sights. For “Casino Royale” they toy with this sequence and place it at the end of the pre-title sequence, which for me was not an improvement. I also thought the blood coming down the screen looked extremely animated and cartoon-like.
Title Sequence:
This was another element that was changed for the back to basics style. We usually get to see naked silhouettes of women set to a theme of the movie or displaying some trendy technology of the times, such as neon in the 80s, with the credits running in the foreground. “Casino Royale” has the silhouettes, but it doesn’t have the naked women. Instead it uses a theme of cards – go figure – that shows off Bond fighting and gunning his way around the screen. As you can tell, it’s not my favorite. Hopefully with more viewings it will grow on me, but my first response is going to be a big thumbs down.
Music:
David Arnold, who has composed every Bond movie since “Tomorrow Never Dies,” doesn’t really put much into this one. After leaving out any hint of the theme song from “Die Another Day” in the score, due to pretty much hating Madonna’s tune, he at least utilizes Chris Cornell’s theme song “You Know My Name.”
In the context of the movie, and especially the score when it is a slower instrumental version, it sounds great. Yet, that is almost the only memorable musical moment from the movie, not counting the final two minutes. Arnold ends the movie on a high note (no pun intended), but the other two hours and 10 minutes in between the theme songs of James Bond, nothing is recognizable or impressive for the film.
Overall Opinion:
I can’t say yet where in the rank it goes, but “Casino Royale” is going to be a classic in the series and is one of my top five favorites. The action isn’t over the top like in “Die Another Day” and the plot isn’t a replica like “Moonraker” or “A View to a Kill.”
For Craig’s first try at the role, and considering all the negative press he had to deal with during production, he does a remarkable job. I still think Connery is the ultimate James Bond, but Craig is going to always be considered one of the best by the general public.
I wasn’t sure how I would react to Bond’s first “00” mission, considering my nervousness was outweighing my anticipation. Instead of giving a broad overview of the film and my opinion of it I have decided to review elements of the film that make Bond movies what they are and explain how the producers either stuck to the formula or altered it in order to keep the franchise fresh.
Bond:
I have no problem admitting my reluctance with the choice of Daniel Craig as the new James Bond. The photograph almost every media publication used to announce his unveiling exhibited an almost unknown actor (which I liked) with a tired, worn face who looked uncomfortable in his suit (which I didn’t like). However, things have changed a bit since then. Craig put on 20 pounds of muscle for the role and his scenes in a bathing suit proves it. Besides having the body of a healthy, well-built spy, Craig spent countless hours rehearsing his fight scenes in order for it to look authentic, which it does.
Besides the look, Craig puts forth all of his acting efforts to show a different side of the secret agent we know. Craig was lucky enough to be given the chance to let audiences find out how Bond becomes the tough, womanizing, cold man he is in every other movie. But it isn’t all brooding and fight scenes for Craig. He is allowed to pull out a few zingers when it is necessary, but also when it is inappropriate. Sadly Craig’s timing isn’t as good as Pierce Brosnan’s or Connery’s.
Girls:
The two main Bond girls in “Casino Royale” are Caterina Murino and Eva Green. Murino is the norm when it comes to a Bond movie. She looks great in anything (or nothing) and makes a grand entrance, but ultimately is a passing fancy. Green is quite different though. Green was cast not to just turn heads while in an evening gown, but to also bring characterization to the film. Her relationship with Bond grows and drives the movie while action takes a back seat to gambling. One specific scene that exhibits Green’s talent best is in a shower scene (not that kind of talent pervert) with Bond that could easily have come off as cheesy, or even worse laughable.
Villain:
Mads Mikkelsen is terrorist financier Le Chiffre and does a first-rate job of playing the villain. He isn’t one of those evil megalomaniac types who are trying to take over the world or steal some nuclear weapons in order to hold the world for ransom. He simply wants money. The producers gave Le Chiffre a physical deformity that many Bond villains receive in order to make them memorable, but Mikkelsen doesn’t really need it. He doesn’t eat up the scenery around him and plays it low key when its necessary.
Allies:
The choice of leaving Judi Dench in the role of M completely screws up the timeline of the film series, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t welcomed. Her portrayal of Bond’s boss is one of respect and care for her employee but she doesn’t put up with his childish antics and arrogant attitude.
Moneypenny and Q are both absent from this film, but a reference to Moneypenny is made that will either bother or amuse the viewer.
Cars:
Bond cars have always been admired. Sometimes they even overshadow Bond himself. The producers were smart enough to shake things up with this movie’s idea to return to Bond’s roots, but they weren’t so dumb as to get rid of the classic Bond vehicle we all love. Craig drives the tasteful, refined Aston Martin DB5, which was featured for the first time in “Goldfinger” and has become known as the epitome of the Bond car. With the updating of the story, we are also given an update of the Aston Martin. Despite not having any true gadgets installed, the Aston Martin DBS becomes the newest Bond car. It is a machine that exhibits modern elegance along with the classic style the DB5 has.
Gadgets:
Besides a defibrillator and the use of computers, “Casino Royale” is practically void of all gadgetry. The producers want to get back to the basics and that meant ignoring laser watches, disguised suitcases and toothpaste plastic explosives.
Pre-title Sequence:
Since the beginning of “From Russia With Love” where we see Bond stalked in a lavish garden by an assassin for SPECTRE, the pre-title sequence has always been a highly awaited piece of the Bond formula. It usually unveils a small piece of the plot with Bond in the midst of danger and astonishing stunts. Like much of the movie itself, “Casino Royale” is completely different.
The first difference of this pre-title sequence is it’s shot in black and white. The second is it has everything to do with the storyline while at the same time it has nothing to do with the plot of the movie. It is rather low-key with crucial dialogue about Bond and his “00” status but has intense fight segments flashed before us. It is a great combination of plot and combat, however, the dialogue can be a bit confusing for anyone not familiar with the world of James Bond.
The one big upset for the ultimate fan during the pre-title sequence is the positioning of when the gun barrel shot takes place. This has always been the first thing the audience member sees is a small white dot moving across the screen and then opening up to show Bond in a suit or tuxedo. Bond walks back across and then flings himself around to shoot the sniper that has him in his sights. For “Casino Royale” they toy with this sequence and place it at the end of the pre-title sequence, which for me was not an improvement. I also thought the blood coming down the screen looked extremely animated and cartoon-like.
Title Sequence:
This was another element that was changed for the back to basics style. We usually get to see naked silhouettes of women set to a theme of the movie or displaying some trendy technology of the times, such as neon in the 80s, with the credits running in the foreground. “Casino Royale” has the silhouettes, but it doesn’t have the naked women. Instead it uses a theme of cards – go figure – that shows off Bond fighting and gunning his way around the screen. As you can tell, it’s not my favorite. Hopefully with more viewings it will grow on me, but my first response is going to be a big thumbs down.
Music:
David Arnold, who has composed every Bond movie since “Tomorrow Never Dies,” doesn’t really put much into this one. After leaving out any hint of the theme song from “Die Another Day” in the score, due to pretty much hating Madonna’s tune, he at least utilizes Chris Cornell’s theme song “You Know My Name.”
In the context of the movie, and especially the score when it is a slower instrumental version, it sounds great. Yet, that is almost the only memorable musical moment from the movie, not counting the final two minutes. Arnold ends the movie on a high note (no pun intended), but the other two hours and 10 minutes in between the theme songs of James Bond, nothing is recognizable or impressive for the film.
Overall Opinion:
I can’t say yet where in the rank it goes, but “Casino Royale” is going to be a classic in the series and is one of my top five favorites. The action isn’t over the top like in “Die Another Day” and the plot isn’t a replica like “Moonraker” or “A View to a Kill.”
For Craig’s first try at the role, and considering all the negative press he had to deal with during production, he does a remarkable job. I still think Connery is the ultimate James Bond, but Craig is going to always be considered one of the best by the general public.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
I Can Taste The Vodka
In exactly 24 hours from now I will be seated in a dark theater with about eight of my close friends watching the most famous spy of cinema history drinking his legendary alcohol, bedding gorgeous and exotic women, killing without regret and being an all-around super cool British agent.
If you can't tell I am really excited about the upcoming "Casino Royale." I have only heard good things about this movie from the critics and from what I have seen in the previews it looks like they took the source material, author Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel, very seriously.
I will most definetly post my initial reaction to the movie either late Friday night/early Saturday morning or sometime Saturday. I expect to be blown away, but I will try to be objective when reviewing it.
If you can't tell I am really excited about the upcoming "Casino Royale." I have only heard good things about this movie from the critics and from what I have seen in the previews it looks like they took the source material, author Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel, very seriously.
I will most definetly post my initial reaction to the movie either late Friday night/early Saturday morning or sometime Saturday. I expect to be blown away, but I will try to be objective when reviewing it.
Friday, November 10, 2006
A Real American Haunting
The story I am about to share took place yesterday and it is one of the few times I have ever truly feared for my life.
We got a report from the scanner in our office of a trespassing and possible attempted burglary on a county road outside of Palmer, which is about five minutes north of Ennis. After copying down all the information the dispatcher and officer were sharing I got in my car and headed to the location of the crime. Supposedly two men had parked in a field next to this house and then began running toward the residence with crowbars and hammers in their hand and ski masks over their face.
When I arrived at the home I saw five cars sitting in front of the home at one end of the long driveway. I pulled in and parked near the grouping of cars. Before getting out I got my pad and pen out and thought through what I was going to ask the woman who phoned the police. While doing this I noticed two dogs laying on the ground not too concerned with my recent arrival.
I got out of the car and slowly made my way to the front door. I didn't want to spook the living security system in any way that would give them a reason to attack. I rang the doorbell a couple of times and knocked but nobody answered and I didn't hear anything rustling on the inside.
Making like the diligent reporter I should be I decided to snoop around a bit. Again not wanting to bother the dogs, I slowly began to walk around the side of the house. As I was approaching the rear of the home I found a swimming pool, large carport, trailer and two new dogs who were much more upset about my present than the first wave of canines.
The first dog I noticed was quickly up on his feet and had already made a few steps in my direction. I could tell he was not excited that I was there as his lips were snarled high enough that I could count each pointy instrument of death he was showing off so proudly like the day after a dentists visit. His growl was menacing and extremely threatening, but Little Caeser (that is what I have named him) was nothing compared to the monsterous creature I then saw staggering to his feet.
Zeus (again I have named the dog) was hands down the largest dog I have ever seen in my life. While standing on all four paws, his head easily came up to the top of my chest. I could turn his intestines into a roomy one-bedroom apartment with washer and dryer hookups. Zeus didn't bark much but when he did it began as a low rumble that shook the ground around him until he spewed a short, husky woof that couldn't be ignored.
Little Caeser didn't move much but Zeus was consistently making his way in my direction. At first I froze and forgot the reason I was there in the first place. I regained my wits and slowly started backing toward the front of the house. As I was I slinking to the car I noticed Zeus getting closer and his bark getting more frequent. I grabbed my phone in my left hand, prepared to call 911 in case the canines decided to take a hint from Hitchcock and turn on the humans and had my keys in the other hand repeatedly pushing the unlock button to make sure Mobyd would be ready at the slightest hint of trouble.
Well, since I am writing this I obviously made it back to the office unscathed. The woman I was looking for popped her head from around the side of the house and motioned that it was okay to come out. She and I spoke about the incident and I left moments later.
I have seen some large dogs in my time, one being my mom's boyfriend's rottweiler, but Zeus wins the prize for most horse-like canine.
We got a report from the scanner in our office of a trespassing and possible attempted burglary on a county road outside of Palmer, which is about five minutes north of Ennis. After copying down all the information the dispatcher and officer were sharing I got in my car and headed to the location of the crime. Supposedly two men had parked in a field next to this house and then began running toward the residence with crowbars and hammers in their hand and ski masks over their face.
When I arrived at the home I saw five cars sitting in front of the home at one end of the long driveway. I pulled in and parked near the grouping of cars. Before getting out I got my pad and pen out and thought through what I was going to ask the woman who phoned the police. While doing this I noticed two dogs laying on the ground not too concerned with my recent arrival.
I got out of the car and slowly made my way to the front door. I didn't want to spook the living security system in any way that would give them a reason to attack. I rang the doorbell a couple of times and knocked but nobody answered and I didn't hear anything rustling on the inside.
Making like the diligent reporter I should be I decided to snoop around a bit. Again not wanting to bother the dogs, I slowly began to walk around the side of the house. As I was approaching the rear of the home I found a swimming pool, large carport, trailer and two new dogs who were much more upset about my present than the first wave of canines.
The first dog I noticed was quickly up on his feet and had already made a few steps in my direction. I could tell he was not excited that I was there as his lips were snarled high enough that I could count each pointy instrument of death he was showing off so proudly like the day after a dentists visit. His growl was menacing and extremely threatening, but Little Caeser (that is what I have named him) was nothing compared to the monsterous creature I then saw staggering to his feet.
Zeus (again I have named the dog) was hands down the largest dog I have ever seen in my life. While standing on all four paws, his head easily came up to the top of my chest. I could turn his intestines into a roomy one-bedroom apartment with washer and dryer hookups. Zeus didn't bark much but when he did it began as a low rumble that shook the ground around him until he spewed a short, husky woof that couldn't be ignored.
Little Caeser didn't move much but Zeus was consistently making his way in my direction. At first I froze and forgot the reason I was there in the first place. I regained my wits and slowly started backing toward the front of the house. As I was I slinking to the car I noticed Zeus getting closer and his bark getting more frequent. I grabbed my phone in my left hand, prepared to call 911 in case the canines decided to take a hint from Hitchcock and turn on the humans and had my keys in the other hand repeatedly pushing the unlock button to make sure Mobyd would be ready at the slightest hint of trouble.
Well, since I am writing this I obviously made it back to the office unscathed. The woman I was looking for popped her head from around the side of the house and motioned that it was okay to come out. She and I spoke about the incident and I left moments later.
I have seen some large dogs in my time, one being my mom's boyfriend's rottweiler, but Zeus wins the prize for most horse-like canine.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Only Nine Days Left
Bond, James Bond.
Those immortal words so coolly uttered at a card table across from an intoxicating seductress in 1962’s “Dr. No” began a pop phenomenon that has manifested itself to the world as the James Bond movies.
Of all the movies I have seen, which add up to more than I could possibly imagine, my favorite series is the James Bond, or 007, films. That suave spy with the license to kill, who travels to exotic locations, beds ravishing women, drives the sleekest cars and operates futuristic gadgets, is the everyman’s hero. Several debonair men have portrayed 007, including Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, and beginning Nov. 17 a new Bond era will begin.
Daniel Craig, who you may recognize from recent films such as “Munich,” “Road to Perdition” or “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” has the demanding task of not only being the sixth official James Bond, but also portraying the character from his beginnings with the British secret service.
“Casino Royale,” opening in theaters this Friday, is the latest in a long series of movies – 21 to be exact – that has spanned more than four decades. Unsure of exactly what the newest movie is, “Casino Royale” is something of a prequel, reboot and retcon all in one.
Eon Productions, the handlers of the official James Bond series, have done this sort of thing in the past, but never to this great an extent. It is almost necessary when working with the same character for 45 years.
At the height of “Bondmania,” following “Goldfinger,” “Thunderball” and “You Only Live Twice,” the producers decided to scale things back a bit while breaking in a new actor for the role in 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” Poor box office returns and an initial rejection of George Lazenby as the star resulted in audiences dismissing a small scale Bond movie. Since its release, time has been good to “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” along with the fans of the film, who now declare Lazenby’s only outing as 007 to be one of the highlights of the series.
Following the success of “Star Wars” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” in 1977, the Bond producers decided to turn their spy into an astronaut with the filming of “Moonraker” in 1979. “Moonraker” was given the largest budget of any previous Bond movie and was a financial success, but the producers decided to come back down to earth with their next story.
“For Your Eyes Only” told the simple tale of a lost military encryption devise Bond must retrieve before it is sold to the Soviets. This time audiences were much more accepting of the simple, gadget-less Bond movie.
In the long run, Bond producers are two-for-two when it comes to changing up the formula that creates a Bond movie and reconstructing the series. “Casino Royale” will be their third attempt to do so. In it they will unveil a new lead actor, dismiss the principal characters of Miss Moneypenny and Q, avoid advanced technology such as invisible cars and laser watches and take the audience down the path of how James became Bond.
Those immortal words so coolly uttered at a card table across from an intoxicating seductress in 1962’s “Dr. No” began a pop phenomenon that has manifested itself to the world as the James Bond movies.
Of all the movies I have seen, which add up to more than I could possibly imagine, my favorite series is the James Bond, or 007, films. That suave spy with the license to kill, who travels to exotic locations, beds ravishing women, drives the sleekest cars and operates futuristic gadgets, is the everyman’s hero. Several debonair men have portrayed 007, including Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, and beginning Nov. 17 a new Bond era will begin.
Daniel Craig, who you may recognize from recent films such as “Munich,” “Road to Perdition” or “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” has the demanding task of not only being the sixth official James Bond, but also portraying the character from his beginnings with the British secret service.
“Casino Royale,” opening in theaters this Friday, is the latest in a long series of movies – 21 to be exact – that has spanned more than four decades. Unsure of exactly what the newest movie is, “Casino Royale” is something of a prequel, reboot and retcon all in one.
Eon Productions, the handlers of the official James Bond series, have done this sort of thing in the past, but never to this great an extent. It is almost necessary when working with the same character for 45 years.
At the height of “Bondmania,” following “Goldfinger,” “Thunderball” and “You Only Live Twice,” the producers decided to scale things back a bit while breaking in a new actor for the role in 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” Poor box office returns and an initial rejection of George Lazenby as the star resulted in audiences dismissing a small scale Bond movie. Since its release, time has been good to “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” along with the fans of the film, who now declare Lazenby’s only outing as 007 to be one of the highlights of the series.
Following the success of “Star Wars” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” in 1977, the Bond producers decided to turn their spy into an astronaut with the filming of “Moonraker” in 1979. “Moonraker” was given the largest budget of any previous Bond movie and was a financial success, but the producers decided to come back down to earth with their next story.
“For Your Eyes Only” told the simple tale of a lost military encryption devise Bond must retrieve before it is sold to the Soviets. This time audiences were much more accepting of the simple, gadget-less Bond movie.
In the long run, Bond producers are two-for-two when it comes to changing up the formula that creates a Bond movie and reconstructing the series. “Casino Royale” will be their third attempt to do so. In it they will unveil a new lead actor, dismiss the principal characters of Miss Moneypenny and Q, avoid advanced technology such as invisible cars and laser watches and take the audience down the path of how James became Bond.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
"Casino Royale" Update
A couple of things have taken place involving the upcoming 21st James Bond movie in the last few weeks.
First of all, the theme song is terrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiibbbbbbbble. I own an Audio Slave album and think Chris Cornell, who sings the theme song titled "You Know My Name," is okay. He definitely has a distinctive voice and will be remembered, but he is not the best choice for a Bond song. I know that this Bond movie is different than anything to come before it and the song has to be the same, but the producers shouldn't have traded creativity for quality. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now.
Secondly, some early reviews are coming in for the movie and most of them are very positive. I haven't read any of the narrative (mainly because I don't want anything that might surprise me to be revealed), but the ones that have rated the movie are mainly putting it at 4 out of 5 and 5 out of 5 stars. Very positive news.
The next topic of discussion should be the fact that the producers are already discussing Bond 22. News has been slipping about potential directors, singers and plots for a little while now, but Barbara Broccoli, one half of the family producing the Bond movies, has been very open about the direction the next movie will be taking. This is momentous news for the Bond fan considering the roller coaster event the last four years have been with the firing and hiring of a new Bond going along with the monumental fact that "Casino Royale" is finally being made into a serious Bond film, unlike the putrid specimen from 1967.
To coincide with the release of the 21st film in the series a new set of Bond movies has been released with more special features. Only 10 of the 20 movies were released today, but like a faithful fan I dispensed the $120 so I could own another set of my favorite film series.
The last bit of news, which is pretty amazing, is that I was propositioned today by my editor with a special press screening of "Casino Royale" on Thursday ... and I turned it down. I know this sounds like I am not a fan, but there were some good reasons for doing so. I want to make sure I see it on the best possible screen. I don't want to mess up my Bond marathon, which would only be at "Octopussy" by Thursday. I want to enjoy the experience of a new Bond and a new Bond movie with my friends and the rest of the audience, even though I am taking a risk with a close neighbor ruining the movie by talking during the film, which is becoming an increasing probability as I grow older.
First of all, the theme song is terrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiibbbbbbbble. I own an Audio Slave album and think Chris Cornell, who sings the theme song titled "You Know My Name," is okay. He definitely has a distinctive voice and will be remembered, but he is not the best choice for a Bond song. I know that this Bond movie is different than anything to come before it and the song has to be the same, but the producers shouldn't have traded creativity for quality. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now.
Secondly, some early reviews are coming in for the movie and most of them are very positive. I haven't read any of the narrative (mainly because I don't want anything that might surprise me to be revealed), but the ones that have rated the movie are mainly putting it at 4 out of 5 and 5 out of 5 stars. Very positive news.
The next topic of discussion should be the fact that the producers are already discussing Bond 22. News has been slipping about potential directors, singers and plots for a little while now, but Barbara Broccoli, one half of the family producing the Bond movies, has been very open about the direction the next movie will be taking. This is momentous news for the Bond fan considering the roller coaster event the last four years have been with the firing and hiring of a new Bond going along with the monumental fact that "Casino Royale" is finally being made into a serious Bond film, unlike the putrid specimen from 1967.
To coincide with the release of the 21st film in the series a new set of Bond movies has been released with more special features. Only 10 of the 20 movies were released today, but like a faithful fan I dispensed the $120 so I could own another set of my favorite film series.
The last bit of news, which is pretty amazing, is that I was propositioned today by my editor with a special press screening of "Casino Royale" on Thursday ... and I turned it down. I know this sounds like I am not a fan, but there were some good reasons for doing so. I want to make sure I see it on the best possible screen. I don't want to mess up my Bond marathon, which would only be at "Octopussy" by Thursday. I want to enjoy the experience of a new Bond and a new Bond movie with my friends and the rest of the audience, even though I am taking a risk with a close neighbor ruining the movie by talking during the film, which is becoming an increasing probability as I grow older.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
What Am I Thinking?
What you are about to read is either going to send you into an outburst of "Ohhhh" and "How sweet" or you will use this as the final example in ousting my homosexuality.
Tonight at the Ennis Downtown Halloween Festival I will be playing the role of Dracula. You heard it right. I'm not covering the event, I'm in the event. They need a person to dress up as Dracula to spook the kids and I caved by saying I'd do it.
I figure it is for the kids and it will only take a couple of hours of standing near a cd player as it moans creepy music and a fog machine that lets loose a suffocating gas. This must be the ying to the yang of being allowed full access while walking around accident scenes and view dead bodies.
Tonight at the Ennis Downtown Halloween Festival I will be playing the role of Dracula. You heard it right. I'm not covering the event, I'm in the event. They need a person to dress up as Dracula to spook the kids and I caved by saying I'd do it.
I figure it is for the kids and it will only take a couple of hours of standing near a cd player as it moans creepy music and a fog machine that lets loose a suffocating gas. This must be the ying to the yang of being allowed full access while walking around accident scenes and view dead bodies.
Monday, October 30, 2006
The Bubble Boy Strikes Again
Well, we had yet another poker tournament this weekend. What made this one different wasn’t that it was only for guys or it had a special name or gimmick, but that we started with the most chips we have ever had before.
We used a slow blind structure, too slow in fact, with the addition of antes while every person was given $25,000 in chips. This gave us a lot of room to play poker while taking out long-term luck as a factor.
I started out playing a lot of hands and quickly dipped down into the teens, which is normal for me. For some reason in these deep stack tournaments I am always throwing away a small portion of my chips and then I have to start rebuilding. If I would just play the way I would once I lose for the first hour then I would have an even larger lead once I start to get in the zone.
I had pocket aces three times and won the pot with them twice. The third and last time I got the mother of all starting hands I mucked it on the river when it turns out it was the best hand. There were four cards to a straight and three to a flush on the board and I had enough chips left that I felt confident I could still play normal and win, which almost worked out in the end.
We paid the top three spots out of 16 players and I finished in the worst spot of all: fourth place. I was the bubble boy, which has happened to me a lot in the last few years of poker. I seem to be making a trend of it, like losing a fourth of my starting chip amount at the beginning of a tournament.
With $400,000 in chips on the table my peak with four players left was $180,000. One would think there was no way I could be the first person out, but alas that is what took place. After doubling up my opponents I was left with a mere $20,000 stack and started making my moves for about three rounds of hands, since the blinds were at $2,000-4,000 with a $400 ante. My tournament ended when I pushed all in pre-flop with 4-5 offsuit and Mike (not Steed) called quickly with A-K, which got Nick to fold a pocket pair (sixes I think). I didn’t improve and he did, turning me into the bubble boy yet again.
The tournament ran too long but the increase in chips gave everyone plenty of room for errors. I hope everyone had a good time despite the aching backs we all went home with afterward.
By the way, Nick won the event with Mike Steed coming in third place. Brooke’s Mike took home the second place finish.
We used a slow blind structure, too slow in fact, with the addition of antes while every person was given $25,000 in chips. This gave us a lot of room to play poker while taking out long-term luck as a factor.
I started out playing a lot of hands and quickly dipped down into the teens, which is normal for me. For some reason in these deep stack tournaments I am always throwing away a small portion of my chips and then I have to start rebuilding. If I would just play the way I would once I lose for the first hour then I would have an even larger lead once I start to get in the zone.
I had pocket aces three times and won the pot with them twice. The third and last time I got the mother of all starting hands I mucked it on the river when it turns out it was the best hand. There were four cards to a straight and three to a flush on the board and I had enough chips left that I felt confident I could still play normal and win, which almost worked out in the end.
We paid the top three spots out of 16 players and I finished in the worst spot of all: fourth place. I was the bubble boy, which has happened to me a lot in the last few years of poker. I seem to be making a trend of it, like losing a fourth of my starting chip amount at the beginning of a tournament.
With $400,000 in chips on the table my peak with four players left was $180,000. One would think there was no way I could be the first person out, but alas that is what took place. After doubling up my opponents I was left with a mere $20,000 stack and started making my moves for about three rounds of hands, since the blinds were at $2,000-4,000 with a $400 ante. My tournament ended when I pushed all in pre-flop with 4-5 offsuit and Mike (not Steed) called quickly with A-K, which got Nick to fold a pocket pair (sixes I think). I didn’t improve and he did, turning me into the bubble boy yet again.
The tournament ran too long but the increase in chips gave everyone plenty of room for errors. I hope everyone had a good time despite the aching backs we all went home with afterward.
By the way, Nick won the event with Mike Steed coming in third place. Brooke’s Mike took home the second place finish.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Back To The Daily Grind
I just returned from visiting my dad in Minnesota. It was a fun, relaxing trip that didn't require rushing all day long to hit up tourist attractions. I did see the Mall of America and rode a cool rollercoaster inside the mall (I rode it in Steed's honor). I saw closer to where the Mississippi begins. We drove a few miles east to Wisconsin. That trip made me decide to list all the states I have set foot in.
So here we go:
Texas
Hawaii
California
Oregon
Idaho
Utah
Nevada
Arizona
New Mexico
Colorado
Kansas
Oklahoma
Louisiana
Arkansas
Missouri
Illinois
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Alabama
Georgia
Florida
Maryland
West Virginia
New York
I may have left some out due to not remembering a road trip as a kid or flying into a state for a stop over, but those are the ones that I definitely remember.
So here we go:
Texas
Hawaii
California
Oregon
Idaho
Utah
Nevada
Arizona
New Mexico
Colorado
Kansas
Oklahoma
Louisiana
Arkansas
Missouri
Illinois
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Alabama
Georgia
Florida
Maryland
West Virginia
New York
I may have left some out due to not remembering a road trip as a kid or flying into a state for a stop over, but those are the ones that I definitely remember.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
First Outie Open Over
Clint McWilliams bested the Weatherford gang again taking down a first place finish in tonight's First Annual Outie Open. Here are the final results.
1st - Clint McWilliams
2nd - Mike Steed
3rd - Larry Atkinson
4th - Jim Anderson
5th - Brent Stapleton
6th - Joey Manire
7th - Joe Lajone
8th - Jay Beavers
9th - Bob Carter
10th - Chad Latham
11th - James Miller
12th - Matt Cook
Going out first worked out because it gave me my full attention to deal the final table and speed the game up. I think it went very well outside of there only being 12 people playing.
1st - Clint McWilliams
2nd - Mike Steed
3rd - Larry Atkinson
4th - Jim Anderson
5th - Brent Stapleton
6th - Joey Manire
7th - Joe Lajone
8th - Jay Beavers
9th - Bob Carter
10th - Chad Latham
11th - James Miller
12th - Matt Cook
Going out first worked out because it gave me my full attention to deal the final table and speed the game up. I think it went very well outside of there only being 12 people playing.
I Guess I Got What Was Coming To Me
In the first annual Matt Cook's Outie Open I finished in an impressive last place. Less than 75 minutes into the tournament I was outside thinking over my mental state and then surfing the web for information I have yet to learn about any subject available.
I was unfortunate enough to have my Kings run into Aces after a seven-high flop and it was all in the middle after a bet, raise and re-raise all in. I maybe could have laid the hand down, but I had already lost two or three pots to the guy where he was holding hands that were not that stellar and I didn't figure him for a higher pocket pair than my cowboys. Oh well, there will be a cash game soon and maybe I will make up my money and then some afterward.
I was unfortunate enough to have my Kings run into Aces after a seven-high flop and it was all in the middle after a bet, raise and re-raise all in. I maybe could have laid the hand down, but I had already lost two or three pots to the guy where he was holding hands that were not that stellar and I didn't figure him for a higher pocket pair than my cowboys. Oh well, there will be a cash game soon and maybe I will make up my money and then some afterward.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
It Is Time For A New Curriculum
After reading a headline in the Ennis Daily News about North Korea recently testing an atomic bomb underground, it started the cogs in my mind moving as I recall all the countries, governments and radical factions who would love nothing better than to see our country disintegrated by means of a nuclear threat.
Not to discredit the American educational system, but while I was growing up, the farthest students ever made it in the history books was World War II. Every American history class would begin with the pre-Columbus Indians and end with the closing of the Second World War. I don’t ever remember studying the Korean War, Vietnam War or the Cold War. The only memories I have of Desert Storm are from newscasts and those memorable videos of missiles slamming into the heart of structures in the Middle East so wonderfully covered on CNN. It certainly wasn’t discussed in our Social Studies class the next morning.
History teachers never went into depth about the fact that we are the only country ever to use nuclear weapons in battle or that we always stick our noses in other people’s business where, sometimes, it does not belong and is not wanted. This led many youth to believe that everything was wonderful in the world and that nobody hated us. Youth today are sometimes under the same impression. How wrong that line of thinking is.
The list of countries that would like to see the fall of America isn’t endless, but it certainly isn’t short enough for a Post-It note. Currently, people from countries that wouldn’t mind seeing us fail miserably – whether it be our economy, society or military – include North Korea, Vietnam, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, any other Muslim or Communist nation I might be unaware of and the many hundreds of terrorist groups throughout the world. This doesn’t even take into consideration those who proclaim publicly to be allies but not-so-secretly wish for our demise, which most certainly includes China.
I’m not up with politics and world affairs enough to go into great detail about why all of these people wish to see us wiped from the face of the earth, but what I can say from an observer’s point of view is that I don’t ever remember it being like this before. I’m not exactly sure when everyone in the world began to despise us, but it has to have taken place in the last 20 or so years.
Defenders of our country proclaim all of the good deeds America does for those around the world. We always send food and military aid to those in need. However, on the flip side of that there are misdeeds attributed to Americans that can’t be overlooked. For each country we say we are helping, there is another one we are attempting to aid in its overthrow for, our leaders say, the betterment of its people.
I don’t judge what our government does and how it validates all of the acts it allows, but I wonder if our approval rating as a nation is currently at an all-time low because of what we are presently doing throughout the world. Or is it, perhaps, a result of similar decisions made over the past 40-60 years of decisions.
Did the superpower reputation we were so proud of in the 1940s backfire on us? A variety of historians has identified our nation as a present day Roman Empire and just about everyone knows how that ended. The British also had a stranglehold on the world at one time, but it didn’t last.
With so much hatred in the world for the United States it makes me wonder whether it has always been like this and I just missed it, or if this is a recent development. The one thing I am sure of is that Sept. 11 was a wake-up call for history teachers to start teaching their students about the critical viewpoints of other nations toward America.
The days of others looking toward America as the beacon of hope for a happy future seem to be long gone and the next generation needs to be taught about what is in store for them.
Not to discredit the American educational system, but while I was growing up, the farthest students ever made it in the history books was World War II. Every American history class would begin with the pre-Columbus Indians and end with the closing of the Second World War. I don’t ever remember studying the Korean War, Vietnam War or the Cold War. The only memories I have of Desert Storm are from newscasts and those memorable videos of missiles slamming into the heart of structures in the Middle East so wonderfully covered on CNN. It certainly wasn’t discussed in our Social Studies class the next morning.
History teachers never went into depth about the fact that we are the only country ever to use nuclear weapons in battle or that we always stick our noses in other people’s business where, sometimes, it does not belong and is not wanted. This led many youth to believe that everything was wonderful in the world and that nobody hated us. Youth today are sometimes under the same impression. How wrong that line of thinking is.
The list of countries that would like to see the fall of America isn’t endless, but it certainly isn’t short enough for a Post-It note. Currently, people from countries that wouldn’t mind seeing us fail miserably – whether it be our economy, society or military – include North Korea, Vietnam, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, any other Muslim or Communist nation I might be unaware of and the many hundreds of terrorist groups throughout the world. This doesn’t even take into consideration those who proclaim publicly to be allies but not-so-secretly wish for our demise, which most certainly includes China.
I’m not up with politics and world affairs enough to go into great detail about why all of these people wish to see us wiped from the face of the earth, but what I can say from an observer’s point of view is that I don’t ever remember it being like this before. I’m not exactly sure when everyone in the world began to despise us, but it has to have taken place in the last 20 or so years.
Defenders of our country proclaim all of the good deeds America does for those around the world. We always send food and military aid to those in need. However, on the flip side of that there are misdeeds attributed to Americans that can’t be overlooked. For each country we say we are helping, there is another one we are attempting to aid in its overthrow for, our leaders say, the betterment of its people.
I don’t judge what our government does and how it validates all of the acts it allows, but I wonder if our approval rating as a nation is currently at an all-time low because of what we are presently doing throughout the world. Or is it, perhaps, a result of similar decisions made over the past 40-60 years of decisions.
Did the superpower reputation we were so proud of in the 1940s backfire on us? A variety of historians has identified our nation as a present day Roman Empire and just about everyone knows how that ended. The British also had a stranglehold on the world at one time, but it didn’t last.
With so much hatred in the world for the United States it makes me wonder whether it has always been like this and I just missed it, or if this is a recent development. The one thing I am sure of is that Sept. 11 was a wake-up call for history teachers to start teaching their students about the critical viewpoints of other nations toward America.
The days of others looking toward America as the beacon of hope for a happy future seem to be long gone and the next generation needs to be taught about what is in store for them.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Where Are We Going, And Why Are We In This Handbasket?
Somehow, and I haven't quite figured out how this happened yet, we have a poker champion who never won a poker game.
Linda is the latest TOC Champion, adding her name to the plaque along with Chad Boase, Josh Bishop and myself. She was able to scrounge up three second-place finishes and never did worse than seventh or eighth place, which is impressive but not so impressive she deserves a championship.
Her style of play, which is to fold almost everything pre-flop and the few hands she does play to a flop fold to any aggression, has obtained the highest honor our group can bestow upon someone without ever proving she could play the game.
Obviously I am bitter about this. I was in second place going into the night and played my usual game, which involves calling, raising and folding certain hands (something Linda wouldn't know how to do), and actually was playing really well. I made only one or two mistakes all night and that was because I was trying to knock Linda out to give me a better chance.
The hand that knocked me out was against Mike when he moved all in after my flop bet of almost half my stack and I called with a higher pocket pair than his. Mike could have had the decency to hit one of his nines to make a full house, but instead he went for the dreaded runner-runner flush to send me out sulking. I'm not mad at Mike at all. He made a play that he thought was best and he did so because he was tired of me pushing him off hands when he had the better holding. He had done this same move earlier with the best hand and I laid it down. This time I didn't and I got unlucky.
Despite my anger about not being the champion and Linda actually being the winner, without being the winner, I still don't think I should have taken home the championship. Honestly I think Slope played better than anyone during this TOC. He had a moment of relapse into old Slope during one of the games, but otherwise he was a strong contender. He won two games and had several respectable finishes. Also, his play was very decent for most of the weeks. I saw a major change in the way he played and it was for the better.
Well, something is going to have to give if we can have a system where a person wins the entire event without ever winning an individual game. I don't know what that change is going to be, but it will need to be significant in order to clear the blemish that will always be known as TOC IV.
Linda is the latest TOC Champion, adding her name to the plaque along with Chad Boase, Josh Bishop and myself. She was able to scrounge up three second-place finishes and never did worse than seventh or eighth place, which is impressive but not so impressive she deserves a championship.
Her style of play, which is to fold almost everything pre-flop and the few hands she does play to a flop fold to any aggression, has obtained the highest honor our group can bestow upon someone without ever proving she could play the game.
Obviously I am bitter about this. I was in second place going into the night and played my usual game, which involves calling, raising and folding certain hands (something Linda wouldn't know how to do), and actually was playing really well. I made only one or two mistakes all night and that was because I was trying to knock Linda out to give me a better chance.
The hand that knocked me out was against Mike when he moved all in after my flop bet of almost half my stack and I called with a higher pocket pair than his. Mike could have had the decency to hit one of his nines to make a full house, but instead he went for the dreaded runner-runner flush to send me out sulking. I'm not mad at Mike at all. He made a play that he thought was best and he did so because he was tired of me pushing him off hands when he had the better holding. He had done this same move earlier with the best hand and I laid it down. This time I didn't and I got unlucky.
Despite my anger about not being the champion and Linda actually being the winner, without being the winner, I still don't think I should have taken home the championship. Honestly I think Slope played better than anyone during this TOC. He had a moment of relapse into old Slope during one of the games, but otherwise he was a strong contender. He won two games and had several respectable finishes. Also, his play was very decent for most of the weeks. I saw a major change in the way he played and it was for the better.
Well, something is going to have to give if we can have a system where a person wins the entire event without ever winning an individual game. I don't know what that change is going to be, but it will need to be significant in order to clear the blemish that will always be known as TOC IV.
Friday, October 06, 2006
TOC IV - Game Eight
Tonight's Game:
1st - Slope - 0 points
2nd - Mike II - 11 points
3rd - Wayne - 21 points
4th - Linda - 30 points
5th - Danny - 38 points
6th - Matt - 45 points
7th - Brian - 51 points
8th - James - 56 points
9th - Nick - 60 pints
12th - Brooke - 66 points
12th - Hector - 66 points
12th - Mike I - 66 points
Overall Standings:
1st - Linda - 230 points
2nd - Slope - 262 points
3rd - Mike - 262 points
4th - Matt - 266 points
5th - Danny - 312 points
6th - Nick - 328 points
7th - Wayne - 347 points
8th - Brooke - 364 points
9th - Brian - 400 points
10th - Hector - 406 points
11th - James - 421 points
12th - Mike I - 455 points
1st - Slope - 0 points
2nd - Mike II - 11 points
3rd - Wayne - 21 points
4th - Linda - 30 points
5th - Danny - 38 points
6th - Matt - 45 points
7th - Brian - 51 points
8th - James - 56 points
9th - Nick - 60 pints
12th - Brooke - 66 points
12th - Hector - 66 points
12th - Mike I - 66 points
Overall Standings:
1st - Linda - 230 points
2nd - Slope - 262 points
3rd - Mike - 262 points
4th - Matt - 266 points
5th - Danny - 312 points
6th - Nick - 328 points
7th - Wayne - 347 points
8th - Brooke - 364 points
9th - Brian - 400 points
10th - Hector - 406 points
11th - James - 421 points
12th - Mike I - 455 points
Thursday, October 05, 2006
My Outgoing Address
I write this with only a little more than a day as the reigning TOC Champ. That is not to say I can’t be the champion again. I am currently in second place and there is a decent chance I can pull out another victory.
The past few months as champion have been nice. There were no red carpets rolled out or engaging fans attempting to touch me in order to obtain some luck for their own game, but it was always pleasant to look down at my championship bracelet for inspiration and keep on keeping on when my chip stack was dwindling.
Having my name on the plaque forever is probably the best thing about my championship. Whenever I feed my fish I glance at the plaque and think about the excellent run of cards I had during those eight games. I think about the great plays I made (usually in the form of folding weaker hands, but sometimes cracking another player’s dominating hand) and the horrible beats I took. It reminds me of a happy TOC, unlike the previous event where nothing seemed to go right.
If I pull out another win tomorrow night and take down the championship I will be extremely proud of myself and feel even more confident in my game, which could be either a good or bad thing.
One championship can be a stroke of luck, but two championships must be regarded as something being done right.
The past few months as champion have been nice. There were no red carpets rolled out or engaging fans attempting to touch me in order to obtain some luck for their own game, but it was always pleasant to look down at my championship bracelet for inspiration and keep on keeping on when my chip stack was dwindling.
Having my name on the plaque forever is probably the best thing about my championship. Whenever I feed my fish I glance at the plaque and think about the excellent run of cards I had during those eight games. I think about the great plays I made (usually in the form of folding weaker hands, but sometimes cracking another player’s dominating hand) and the horrible beats I took. It reminds me of a happy TOC, unlike the previous event where nothing seemed to go right.
If I pull out another win tomorrow night and take down the championship I will be extremely proud of myself and feel even more confident in my game, which could be either a good or bad thing.
One championship can be a stroke of luck, but two championships must be regarded as something being done right.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Scorsese Has Been Robbed
This is not a news story that just broke involving the legendary director having his home burglarized or car taken from him. This is about his lack of an Academy Award.
I am doing research into the man's past in preparation of a movie column for Monday. Since his new film, "The Departed," is being released this weekend I figured I would discuss his failure to enter the winner's circle at any Academy Awards presentation. During said research I have decided he was robbed of a statue in 2005 for "The Aviator."
You may disagree that "The Aviator" is not as good of a film as "Million Dollar Baby," which took home the Oscar, or the other nominees, including "Ray," "Sideways" or "Vera Drake." Well, you are wrong. Especially if you think "Vera Drake" should have won.
This goes against my original thinking at the time of the presentation that Eastwood deserved the win for Director and "The Aviator" should have won for Best Picture, but I have since changed my mind. Scorsese deserved both categories.
The only true opposition Scorsese had for the Best Director category was Clint Eastwood for "Million Dollar Baby." Although "Ray" and "Sideways" are good movies and shined in certain areas, such as acting and writing, they lacked in the other areas necessary for a Best Director win.
The same could be said for "Million Dollar Baby." Eastwood was able to pull out some great acting from this devastating story about a female boxer and her trainer, but besides the acting "Million Dollar Baby" couldn't produce any wins, besides the two most coveted categories of director and picture.
"The Aviator" was nominated in 11 categories and won for five of them. They were Supporting Actress, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design and Film Editing. Where it lost was the aforementioned Director and Picture, along with Actor and Supporting Actor (which I would agree that those weren't the best in those categories, although Leonardo DiCaprio did a better than fine job with his performance), Sound Mixing and Original Screenplay.
The director is in charge of the entire production of the movie, from the acting and camera work to the lighting and costuming. Although Scorsese only produced one winner in the acting group, which Eastwood did for two of the three nominations he had in acting categories, it is my belief that he still got great performances out of DiCaprio and Alan Alda and the wins in five other categories should have made him the clear winner that year.
This is all my opinion of course and there is nothing that can be done now, but if Scorsese didn't win in 2005 for a clear winner then I don't think he will ever win. Hopefully "The Departed" will finally be his success, but I don't see how he can possibly do a better job than he did with "The Aviator."
I am doing research into the man's past in preparation of a movie column for Monday. Since his new film, "The Departed," is being released this weekend I figured I would discuss his failure to enter the winner's circle at any Academy Awards presentation. During said research I have decided he was robbed of a statue in 2005 for "The Aviator."
You may disagree that "The Aviator" is not as good of a film as "Million Dollar Baby," which took home the Oscar, or the other nominees, including "Ray," "Sideways" or "Vera Drake." Well, you are wrong. Especially if you think "Vera Drake" should have won.
This goes against my original thinking at the time of the presentation that Eastwood deserved the win for Director and "The Aviator" should have won for Best Picture, but I have since changed my mind. Scorsese deserved both categories.
The only true opposition Scorsese had for the Best Director category was Clint Eastwood for "Million Dollar Baby." Although "Ray" and "Sideways" are good movies and shined in certain areas, such as acting and writing, they lacked in the other areas necessary for a Best Director win.
The same could be said for "Million Dollar Baby." Eastwood was able to pull out some great acting from this devastating story about a female boxer and her trainer, but besides the acting "Million Dollar Baby" couldn't produce any wins, besides the two most coveted categories of director and picture.
"The Aviator" was nominated in 11 categories and won for five of them. They were Supporting Actress, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design and Film Editing. Where it lost was the aforementioned Director and Picture, along with Actor and Supporting Actor (which I would agree that those weren't the best in those categories, although Leonardo DiCaprio did a better than fine job with his performance), Sound Mixing and Original Screenplay.
The director is in charge of the entire production of the movie, from the acting and camera work to the lighting and costuming. Although Scorsese only produced one winner in the acting group, which Eastwood did for two of the three nominations he had in acting categories, it is my belief that he still got great performances out of DiCaprio and Alan Alda and the wins in five other categories should have made him the clear winner that year.
This is all my opinion of course and there is nothing that can be done now, but if Scorsese didn't win in 2005 for a clear winner then I don't think he will ever win. Hopefully "The Departed" will finally be his success, but I don't see how he can possibly do a better job than he did with "The Aviator."
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